Masquerade
by teno-hikari
Summary: It was the perfect plan. No one would have ever guessed that the heroic leader of the Teen Titans and Slade's future partner, were one in and same. Not even Robin himself...


Masquerade  
  
Written By: Teno Hikari   
  
email: tenohikariyahoo.com / tenohikarics.com  
  
Summary: It was the perfect plan. No one would have ever guessed that the heroic leader of the Teen Titans and Slade's future partner, were one in and same. Not even Robin himself...   
  
Disclaimer: The Teen Titans belong to DC comics, Warner Bros., J. Torres, Todd Nauck, and everyone BUT me.   
  
Warning: Spoilers for season one. Swearing. Adult situations. Violence. Mature readers only.  
  
Possible slash content - ??? I haven't decided yet =P  
  
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"Never was and never will be  
  
You don't know how you've betrayed me  
  
And somehow you've got everybody fooled  
  
Without the mask where will you hide  
  
Can't find yourself lost in your lie..."   
  
- "Everybody's Fool" by Evanescence  
  
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[ Introduction ]  
  
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In the past, many believed that only criminals wear masks. By the concealing of the face, they obviously had something to hide. Something awful. It was a shield to prevent others from finding out what evils lay hidden beneath. Your secrets. Your desires. Your truest intentions.   
  
However, in this day in age, everyone wears a mask. Including the good guys who hunt the bad ones down. Justice must be served and there are times, desperate measures must be taken. Ironically, one must break the law in order to enforce it.  
  
Robin, the young leader of the Teen Titans, was a crime fighter known throughout the country. He wasn't a cop; but at heart, a detective. Just like the legendary man who trained him. He had despised those who stole from others. Whether it being something insignificant like an object of numeric value. Or, something unique and ultimately priceless, such as human life.   
  
Every crime has it's victim. He had been a one once, before dawning the mask and leading the life as a vigilante. He had been a carefree young man who had everything he could have possibly wanted. That boy had a somewhat normal life. He had a mother and a father, parents whom he loved, and was loved by them. They were all happy, as long as the small family had been together.   
  
One dreadful day, some despicable thief stole all that. His parents, his family, and their happiness. The boy dedicated his life to capturing that thief. With the unexpected help of his not-so-normal, new guardian. He and that man had a similar past and were in many ways alike. But the youth knew he could never be that man who wear the cowl of a bat.   
  
So the young boy had given himself a new name, only when he put on the face mask, and the red and green uniform. It was the nickname his mother had given him when he had been born early in the spring: Robin. He had gotten quite attached to it. Every time he was addressed by that name, it always reminded him of what he fought for. His parents. Himself. Innocents who could possibly be victims as he once had. No more did he acknowledge the other name that had been written on his birth certificate. In the newspaper articles, he had also been nicknamed as, "Robin: The Boy Wonder."  
  
For years the young boy trained and fought alongside his mentor. Sure they had their ups and downs, like any normal teenager and their parent. He lost track of how many cases they solved, rights they wronged, and villains they locked away. Batman and Robin: The Dynamic Duo. Guardians of Gotham. Only when the mask was on.   
  
When it was off, the boy underneath it was forced to live a normal life as possible. Going to school, getting good grades and making friends with other kids his age. He had been successful at leading the double life. Yet, over the years, the only thing the youth wanted to be, was just Robin.  
  
He loved his life as a vigilante, but the robin couldn't always live under the shadow of the bat. Finally, he left his nest: his mentor, his double life, and home in Gotham City, altogether. It had been difficult at first, working solo in a new city. He had also missed the friends he had left behind. Missed being a teenager, and the almost carefree lifestyle he had without the mask.   
  
The Boy Wonder wasn't miserable and alone for long. New partners stepped forward and joined his cause. The mechanized former athlete: Cyborg. The mysterious, Goth-like, young sorceress: Raven. The comedic changeling: Beast Boy. The powerful alien princess: Starfire. Together this group of young and heroic individuals formed the Teen Titans.  
  
As their elected leader, Robin took pride in the group's teamwork. Along with their growing reputation to stop any foe that crossed their path. They trusted one another, and in time the city trusted them. To show their gratitude, the band of heroes were given the Titan Tower. A home where they were able to rest and recuperate.   
  
Living together, had been difficult at first, but it was just an obstacle they all managed to get around. Bonds had formed strong friendships. In action, they were an unbeatable team; outside of it, their lives were surprisingly normal.  
  
That was until a mysterious criminal mastermind had slowly began to make himself known to the group. The masked man had hired a young group of deadly mercenaries to destroy the Titans. They had almost succeeded, beating the group of crime fighters and claiming the Tower. The Teen Titans had almost given into defeat, if it hadn't been for Robin's miraculous return.  
  
He had turned the tide with strong determination and team work alone. The Teen Titans were victorious. Their enemies had been beaten, and were given yet another home that day: a nicely secured jail cell. Everything seemed to be looking up. Until the Titan leader caught one of the mercenaries' utter their client's name.   
  
All though his team mates didn't think much of it at the time, Robin was alarmed by this startling news. This Slade character was another thief who planned to steal something from them. All their accomplishments. Their friendship. Their lives. The masked teenager would never allow this.   
  
"Who is Slade?"   
  
It soon became a question that plagued his thoughts at least a hundred times a day. The investigation had begun. He hated it when questions went unanswered, and still lingered in his mind. So he looked for answers elsewhere. He searched through a variety of archives. Made a short suspect list of criminals and interviewed every person on it. No answers. No leads. No clues. But this wouldn't stop him. Not by a long shot. Not until Slade, who had not yet appeared before them, was no longer a threat. Robin vowed long ago, no one would steal anything - or anyone - precious to him again.   
  
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[ Act One - Opening ]  
  
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"Tell Slade, if he wants this chip, come and get it himself!"   
  
With that said, Robin released the grappling hook holding him upside down in midair, delivering a backwards kick towards the minion's face. Landing in a crouch, he rose quickly to stand just when the lights went on. Light always exposes the guilty, as the Teen Titans faced their adversary's armed henchmen.  
  
A battle ensues between the two groups. Using their high tech blastor weapons made the thieves evenly matched against the group of super heroes. The enemy who equipped his subordinates with these tools, was a clever bastard after all. Only through team work kept the Titans from falling back down in defeat. All the while the prize: a red computer chip, floats by itself in the spotlight.   
  
Despite the Titans' efforts, the chip is plucked out of sight by the last thief standing. Chasing after him, Robin whipped out one of his bird shaped boomerangs. Taking a moment to pinpoint his target before releasing it. The weapon hits it's mark perfectly and the disk flies out of the thief's grasp. His team mates watches as the object they're guarding soars through the air, before Beast Boy takes action.  
  
"Mine!"   
  
The shape shifter takes form of an ant eater. Dashing under the enemy's legs, he jumps up and shoots out a long flexible to wrap around the chip. Landing on all fours, the animal skids across the floor, coming to a stop when he makes contact with the wall.   
  
Robin and the others can't help but wince in sympathy for their friend as one of the thieves lands on his tongue. Collecting the chip once more, the armed thief joins his comrades who had quickly recovered and were waiting at the exit. A smoke screen fills the room for a couple of seconds to cover the enemies' escape.   
  
Growling under his breath, Robin rushes passed his stunned companion who has taken human form.   
  
"Titans! GO!"   
  
The others followed after their leader, racing down the hall to a routes room with several routes. Several exits for the band of Slade's minions to take. Robin doubted they were dumb enough to take one route together.   
  
"Split up," he ordered his team, watching them take different routes. He was about to take the corridor down the middle but paused in his tracks. Trained to have detective instincts, they were telling him that he would be wasting his time.   
  
Taking another glance around the room, he spotted another possible exit that lead underground. Bending down he noticed the latch was loose, which meant it had been opened recently. Pulling it open, he saw his reflection in the murky sewer water.   
  
Dropping down, upon landing he spotted one of the thieves making their escape. With the enemy in his sights, he chased after him. Dodging an attacking and unsuccessfully throwing one of his own, Robin followed the henchman until a loud explosion send rocks crashing down before him.   
  
Luckily, it wasn't a solid blockade. Just annoying enough to give the thief ample time to escape. Shoving rocks to the side, he could hear Starfire trying to reason with Slade's subordinate to surrender.   
  
'Shoot him, Star!' he mentally called out. 'Shoot him before he...'  
  
"I'm asking you nicely to..." she was immediately cut off by a gasp of shock and pain as the henchman shot her down.   
  
'NO!'   
  
Robin pushed his way through the rest of the barrier, rushing towards the end of the tunnel. The thief activated the thrusters on the soles of his boots and shot upwards. Starfire, knocked out from the point blank attack, continued to fall straight down towards the lake below.  
  
Without hesitation, the Boy Wonder let himself jump after her. Activating one of his modified boomerangs, a decel jump line shot after his unconscious team mate. As the monofilament cord wrapped securely around her waist, Robin turned in mid air to glance up, looking at their target.   
  
Now to stop their fall.   
  
The thief's eyes widened in surprise as a lasso looped around his shoulders, and was anchored down by the weight of the two teenagers.  
  
Increasing the power of the thrusters, the henchman continued to flight. Dragging the dangling Titans along the water. Robin refused to let go, even if it felt like he were jet skiing right now.  
  
Releasing Starfire as they hit the shore, the Titan leader planted both his feet firmly into the ground. The thief jerked to a halt, finally tumbling to the dirt. Robin rushed over to restrain him, even though the thief no longer held any resistance.  
  
"Now talk!" Robin demanded, shaking the kneeling form before him. Why did the person feel like a dead weight all of a sudden? "What does Slade want with this chip?! And why are you working for him...?"  
  
He trailed off on the latter question as it was soon answered for him. Upon removing the subordinate's mask, Robin was surprised to see a small screen staring at him instead of a face. An image suddenly appeared on screen. He could barely make out the outline of a man's form standing in the shadows, but he recognized that one-eyed mask anywhere.  
  
"Slade..."  
  
"Excellent work, Robin." The Boy Wonder didn't know what was worse: the way Slade's presence made his blood freeze, or the compliments that made it boil.  
  
"Really, I think your skills are improving."  
  
"No more games! What do you want?!"  
  
The figure shook his head in dismay, not taking his eye off the camera. Off Robin. "But you do lack patience."  
  
Robin ground his teeth together, holding back a growl deep within his throat. He knew patience was a virtue, but hated being lectured on the subject. It hurt his pride. But since it came from Slade, who had no business giving him lectures on morality in the first damn place, was practically rubbing salt into the wound.  
  
"If you're really so curious about my intentions," Slade continued. "Perhaps we should meet...?" The masked mean lean forward a little and added, "Face to face."  
  
Moving forward himself, Robin pulled the faceless robot closer to him. "Tell me where you're hiding, and I'll be there in a heart beat!"  
  
There was no doubt about it, he would be there in an instant. Even if it was a trap, Robin hated the anxiety eating away at him. Ever since  
  
that one time he met with the man who had been well disguised to manipulate the Forces of nature: Thunder and Lightning. That was Slade's expertise: being a manipulator.   
  
"Patience, Robin, patience."  
  
As the screen went blank and the inside of the robot thief's head began to fall apart, Robin let go. Hands fisting tightly at his sides, looking down at the stolen red chip in those lifeless fingers. Robin didn't even acknowledge Starfire who called out his name, when he bent down to retrieve it.  
  
Examining the red computer chip carefully in his gloved hands, he couldn't shaken the sinking feeling he had. Why did it feel... that this wasn't the only thing Slade was after? Light began to retreat behind the city buildings when he finally looked up.  
  
'Slade is out there... Somewhere.'  
  
The sun was setting, and the humid red glare of twilight shrouded them. Another day. Another night. The cat and mouse game starts all over again.   
  
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[ Act One - Scene One ]  
  
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When they returned to the tower, Starfire watched their leader stalk off to his room without a word to anyone when they. After returning the stolen microchip, he had been awfully quiet. As they waited for Beast Boy to pick out a few movies at the video store, Robin wouldn't put down the front of the front of the android's face that he had taken. Along with several other mechanical parts Robin needed for his research.   
  
Wringing her hands together, the alien princess glanced over at Beast Boy who was impatiently waiting for his chance at the game station. "Friend, should we not go and console, Robin? He seems quite disturbed from after the robbery."  
  
The changeling didn't even tear his gaze away from the huge television screen. Waiting and hoping for Cyborg could mess up so that he could have his turn. Which wasn't going to happen when the larger teen got up to do his: "I've got da skillz to pay da bills" victory dance.   
  
"Look, Starfire," Beast Boy began. Sighing in irritation towards his friend flaunting the new high score, the younger boy turned away to face her. "This is just how Robin is. It's perfectly normal. Like how Raven always has her nose stuck in a book..."  
  
The girl from another world quickly glanced at her fellow team mate who was trying to tune them out. 'It does not look stuck to me,' she thought innocently before returning her attention back to the shape shifter.  
  
"Or when Cyborg hogs the game station all too himself... or how you mess around in the kitchen." He tried to make the last part sound as polite as possible. Her home planet's traditional "Pudding of Sadness" - which he had dubbed: "Cream of Toe nails" - still made him queasy.  
  
"Or how Beast Boy here drools over everything." Dropping the video game controller, Cyborg reached out and shoved his annoying friend off the couch. "But he's right, Star. It's just a part of Robin's character to stop the bad guys... in an overly obsessive, brooding manner."  
  
Transforming into a long anaconda, Beast Boy slithered around the couch and snatched the controller in his jaws. As the battle for the 'next turn' began, Starfire took a moment to process this new information. As the leader of the Teen Titans, Robin was the most dedicated to their cause. The need to protect and serve justice, just didn't go away after the fight. It was why she admired him so much.   
  
It's just a part of his character, she thought to herself as she sat down and watched her two team mates play with their video games. This was just something he needed to do. Until he finally took a break from his work. Surely everything would return to normal in time.   
  
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[ Act One - Scene Two ]  
  
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Robin returned an hour later to his room with a stack of newspapers under his arm. He didn't have any luck trying to trace back Slade's signal through the android's internal radio. So instead, he snuck out and started back from square one.  
  
The H.I.V.E members were less than helpful trying to answer any questions when he paid them a visit in juvenile hall. At least they spoke, unlike Plasmus who was sleeping inside his jar-like-jail. Talking to Cinderblock was like... talking to a living wall. Same thing, right?  
  
Then he went to the site in the woods where he first met Slade. First fought with him, even though the Boy Wonder didn't know who he was at the time. Then he collected the fallen piece of the disguise as evidence then. The young crime fighter knew he was succumbing to desperation when he carved out a piece of bark that had been embedded by Slade - the old man's staff. It sounded reasonable at the time to do a molecular study and match the 'mystical monk' staff to... who was he kidding? There were no other clues.   
  
On the way home, Robin stopped by an underground press that had supported the Titans. He searched through their archives, and was surprised to find articles with the headlines: 'WHO IS SLADE?'. He grabbed them all. Including anything that could be connected to the masked man. Other prison breakouts. Stolen high-tech gadgets. Anything.  
  
Dumping the newspapers on his bed, he retrieved some scissors and began cutting away around the articles that interested him. It was weird, he had never been so focused before on one criminal. One individual whom he had only exchanged a few words to.  
  
Newspaper clippings in one hand, he walked over to the large barren walls of his room and began to pin them up. The others were going to freak when they saw this. But they weren't. The rooms that belonged to each Titan was there domain. Sometimes they needed space from one another. There had to be a line somewhere. To cross it would be a declaration of war.   
  
As he finished up, the articles spanning across two of his walls, he stood back to observe it. Like a work of art. No. Like a jigsaw puzzle, but an incomplete one.   
  
Running a hand through his black hair, Robin turned back to his desk and felt a headache began to form. He read somewhere that a cluttered desk resulted from a cluttered mind. The young crime fighter didn't doubt that. What had once been neatly organized was now in a disarray. All the clues he had gathered for his scavenger Slade hunt, dominated his entire room.  
  
WHO IS SLADE?  
  
Damn he wished he knew. The headache was getting worse and Robin flopped onto his bed. Damn he felt exhausted all of a sudden. Though he had a right to be. Foiling a robbery and running around the city after it. All that work finally took it's toll and he could barely keep his eyes open. Reluctantly, Robin gave in and submitted to sleep.  
  
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[ Act One - Scene Three ]  
  
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"About time."  
  
Finally walking out of the shadows of the dimly lighted bedroom, he eyed the boy sleeping peacefully in disgust. Shaking his head before glancing around to admire the Titan leader's new hobby. Walking over to the desk, he picked up a red marker before walking over to wall of Slade.  
  
He should have known it would come down to this. Uncapping the marker he began to underline certain words. The pattern was irregular distinct. Slade wanted power in any shape or form. Cinderblock had been the strongest criminal the masked man had recruited. But also the dumbest. Easy to manipulate. The two elemental brothers were powerful... but knew nothing of responsibility.  
  
Stroking his chin, he began to X out a few mug shots of some wacko-bad guys whom he doubted had any connection. Slade liked manipulating only the strong, but so far hasn't had any luck fit his ideals perfectly. Strong. Ruthless. Intelligent. Someone who was just like Slade himself...  
  
"Someone... like... me?"  
  
Looking at the red X marks on the clippings, he smiled suddenly. That was it! Cracking his knuckles, he nodded to himself and stalked over to Robin's closet.   
  
It was midnight when he finished the alterations on the costume. He always could pull off anything if he put his mind to it. Even when it came to sewing. He did it right there at the desk, paying no attention to the Titan leader who slept only a few feet away.  
  
He changed quickly, putting on the black spandex outfit, the specialized gray gloves, cape, and of course a complete head mask. Observing his reflection in the mirror, he nodded in approval. A couple places on the costume and the half skull faced mask, was his insignia: a red x.   
  
Red X - that was what he was going to call himself now.   
  
After opening the window, he switched on the suit's stealth cloaking feature. Just in case. He didn't want a run in with the rest of Titans if he were somehow spotted. No fighting them would be too soon, and they would definitely try and wake their leader.   
  
"Nighty-night, Robin," he said over his shoulder, before using a grappling hook to climb down the window.   
  
A plan began to come together in his head, and Red X quickly set off to put it in motion. He would get that chip Slade's subordinates unsuccessfully tried to obtain. Since he doubted the company would hand it to him graciously, Red X had no choice but to steal it. It would be perfect. After all, what better better way to catch a criminal that to become one?  
  
End Act One  
  
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Author's Notes -  
  
Again, this is a rough draft (anyone with time to kill want to beta read for me???). Another plot bunny has lead me astray right in the middle of writing chapter 8 for Three Way Mirror. I originally planned this to be about a much longer chapter... but decided on keeping it shorter than the others.  
  
Review? Please?  
  
Shameless plugging:  
  
I've made a Slade/Robin site (still not yet finished)  
  
www.sladexrobin.maraboshi.net  
  
If you can't see the link on ffnet, please check my author's profile. 


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